New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-05-08
ART NEWS AND COMMENTS.
THE WEEK IN ART CIRCLES.
NOTES OF THE ExHIBIrIoNs-ARr NEWS ELSE


WHERE.
This will be the last week of the Academy exhibit
ton The reduction in the number OF pictures SHOWN
has not been followed expected by falling on
in sales but on the contrary the amount already
received S29 OOO is gain upon the total amount az
last years exhibition. With such encouragement III
addition to the cordial approval which this exhibition
has received it is safe to predict continuance Oh
the new policy, and substantial increase III Tue
Academy's influence and prosperity.
IT, as now seems probable, the liberal spirit shown
in tho conduct of the exhibition characterizes this
weeks elections the artists of the city will have no
reason for withholding confidence from the Academy
The election of new members will be watched with
interest. The Academy's work in holding rep
resentatiye exhibitions snd recognizing tne
merit of younger artists is important, but there
are also the schools which are in pressing need oil
larger opportunities The annual exhibition OF
drawings brings the school work temporarily before
the public but rule it receives too little attention
1t absurd that the oldest art school in tbs country
with the exception OF the Pennsylvania Academy,
should be so poorly housed and equipped The
schools need we'll lighted and spacious classrooms,
adequate collections OF casts and Braun photographs
O good library, an endowment iund 10 proVlde 70,
spectacle salaries for the instructors ana special
fund TO ao " of few travelling scholarships. All
this the expenditure of considerable sum Oh
money, but the Academy is by no means Pennies,
and it may be predicted that the near future
will bring some generous gifts. In any event the
house next door, which has been purchased by the
Academy, should be adapted to the requirements of
the schools by the beginning OF another season.
And this would be an excellent opportunity to I'M
prove the interior OF the Academy.
The amount Of the sales at the Prize Fund exhibit
ton Is reported as about S12 O0O At the exhibition
of the Society of American Artists the landscapes
have undergone close scrutiny during the past week
preparatory the award Of the webb prize OF @3oo
The number OF possibilities ia not large, put
there ia some excellent material. Mr. Homer Martin
has concerned himself as little usual with truth
of facts IN his largo Behind the Dunes, Lake
Ontario" but he has admirably suggested the desc
laon and spaciousness OF this scene in picture rich
and harmonious in color and large Ia design noble
example of imaginative work which should have
been better placed in the gallery Mr. Carlson, who
amply sustains his reputation as an accomplished
painter of still life. exhibits picure OF Cape Ann
sands which is vivid and truthful portrayal OF
stron outdoor effect, Substantially painted anu excel
lent in the indication OF texture, nteying the feel
ing we'll as the coorng OF the sands aud coarse
grasse. in full light. On the other hand, 1t IS
impossible not to feel that the lighting OF Mr. Murphys
Brook and Fields is to certain extent artificial
But this is charming example OF picture maxi *,
well composed, with good distance, and luminous
sky.
Nothing that Mr.. Davis sends to any OF the exhibit
tions IS as strong as one two OF the early twilight
scenes shown year ago, but his pictures interest
ing "a deaoting an honest desire to avoid mlDnersm
and in his November Morning at least ne has not
aimed at -trength." This is M Impression OF the
scene q study of meadows vague with chuly mist,
the scene IL Is Que OF the informal pictures which
sometimes give an effect wildly than more
ambitious efforts and there is no chance here Tor any
arrDg note in the sky az IN the artists large FIRST
Snow." Here the lightness OF the snow 10 a1rotly
indicated the distances thou ghtfuy worked out
and the painting is good but the picture will hardly
arouse enthusiasm among impartial observers. Per
haps it is the which leaves one cold, Tor 1t IL
necessary TO acknowledge that the subject has been
on the whole we'll treated. Mr.. Coffin has made an
off I'M he il
nesdlessly large scale theme which met with some
success a year ago. That picture expressed the
quiet and peculiar color NJ of moonlit Ian Escape,
nd 40 Tar as expression goes there is nothing more
in this The preservation OF true relations In
picture pitched in so low Key the rendering OF
reflections the foreground water without ootrucins
them while they serve TO streng then the toreg ground
the forms, and shadows, and carefully painted DIS
lance. are all interesting enough but tue picture
remains slaty in texture and color and with little
claim to beauty. 1t contains great deal OF detail II
its gloom does not prevent close observation, ana
much clever work which doubtless pleased the artist
and might have pleased others had 1t been applied
with q broader purs1se. At any rate the subject
treated in this way has one distinction. IL Is quite
devoid OF sentiment In this it resembles the
work of neither EIarpiguics Cam Mr.. Palmer
show excellent effect ol light in his Early snow,
Mr.. Wyatt sends good characteristic picture; Mr'
Minor il we'll represented, especially IN his Moon
light" and Mr. 1ryon has contributed a picture oil
marked merit, winter landscape, much better
paiuted and finer in quality than hls picture at the
hcadem.y aud more individual than his Moonlight
az the Prize Fund exhibition
There il little to be said of Mr. Cranes stony
harvest scene but Mr.. Van Boskerok shows improve
ment in his picture. Of the Massachusetts, coast MI
Cox's September Sunshine" Is devoid OF sunshine,
but otherwise it is pleasant little picture. Mr.
Bunce has furnished a dch bit OF color and Dir.
Ochtmann Is developing colorist mt some cost to
the freshness and truth OF his landsclpcS There
study by Mr.. Steele. " Mo)rlAnds,' in which the
breezness Of the scene and movement oil the clouds
are we'll given and there is another by Me- TesgIn.
NJ ynrE mai anfDA
tive of the Courbet school OF realism Mr.. Bunker
has made q study of forest interior to which he has
impaired a curious blue-green hue and also sugges-
ton OF extreme moistness, but the picture will cause
desire to sec Other essays in landscape painting Mr.
George Inness. T., shows gam am theTe are otner
landscapes By Messrs Hoe6er, Lockwood, host ana
Dewey, to say nothing OF the e11Ta SnnnS
regards tho landscape. No doubt tie prize. when Is
the first that the Society has had to award, VIII DC
bestowed only after Careful study and the result Will
probably not add another 10 the arguments against
przegiyng like the result at the Prize Fund exf ib
ton.
The pictures sold at the Academy since the last time
of writing are Landscape" Frank An lerson. $l2o
Hoses" Anna Lounes, $50; " Sheep Pastures, w.
r. Rici ards, $500; "Tbe Dinner Call" H. g.
Thomson, $40; After tho Party q; Wright,
$500; and Misty Morning" E. NJ Bicknell, $lpO
At previous summer openings of the Metropolitan
Museum tho western galleries have contained many
pictures lent by private collectors or others and sub
mitted to the public only fora few months but at last
these galleries nearly Iled with an Instructive
collection of modern art which the property OF the
Museum Now that the fashion OF gifts to help public
education IN 1T has been set others may be confident
" expected and it is only to be hoped that we'll
meaning generosity may not be exploited Tor the
enrichment OF spectators There is an opportunity
now to develop the nucleus furnished by American
pictures previously bel ,ngng TO the Museum ana oy
recent gifts into gallery which shall be national In
the truest sense. Landscape painters Like lnness,
WANT, Clifford, Davis and Bolton Jones, and figure
PAINTER like Mari, Mllet, George Fuller Dannat and
flrich are already well represented. These and
other pictures make promising beginning Out OF
thia ,hnnlh proE gnllcrY OF American art which